BENGALURU: Karnataka forest officials on Tuesday evening busted an online trade racket, and rescued one falcon, two falcon chicks and two red-vented bulbuls. While falcons are protected under Schedule-1 of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, the red-vented bulbuls are protected under Section 4. The birds were rescued near Hebbal Lake.
A forest official said three people were arrested and a case was registered. “We got a tip-off about online sale being put up, but it was not by a company. So we followed it up and caught them. Citizens are requested to inform the forest department if they get to know of any sale of animals or birds online. The animals will be sent to Bannerghatta Rescue Centre for rehabilitation and treatment, and then released into a conducive habitat,” a Forest Department official said.